For Immediate Release
November 15, 2013

Moreno Valley College Launches Keys for Kids

Professor of Music Carolyn Quin hopes to coax sweet, sweet music from the littlest voices on the Moreno Valley College (MVC) campus. Quin and the MVC Music Club have launched Keys for Kids, a program that the College's Early Childhood Education (ECE) program students in music and singing.

"The benefits of this program are tremendous for our college students and for the ECE children," Quin said. "The youngsters exhibit enthusiasm for music and become less shy about participation in front of a group. They seem to enjoy the feeling of accomplishment they get from playing a musical instrument."

Quin also expects the program to be beneficial for her music club students, who will be teaching piano, rhythm and leading sing-along gatherings.

"The college students get to see their musical knowledge put to use in a practical, hands-on setting," she said. "They also are learning how to be independent music teachers, self-employed instructors who operate private studios offering individual and group instruction in music."

Mondays the music club students and ECE students meet for a 15-minute sing-along. On Thursdays the children venture to the College's Music Interactive Technologies Lab for individual instruction, which includes a private piano lesson as well as singing and music sharing. Activities at the piano include structured activities as well as improvisation.

"The instructors are well trained, and they work from the same lesson plan," Quin said. "The young students (ages 4 and 5) get copies of the music pieces they studied that day to take home. We end each lesson with some rhythm lessons. We use echo or call and response for the rhythm studies, and we often also use improvisation."

On November 19, the Keys for Kids program will stage a recital and then break until February when the program will resume for the spring semester.

"Keys for Kids is providing our children with a unique experience of music exploration," MVC Child Development Center Supervisor Judi Grimes said. "Dr. Quinn and the students have opened up the children's interest and excitement for music while building their confidence."